Update on 2020-21 Staff Mentoring Programme (July 2020)

“Mentoring Through Unprecedented Change/ Challenges”           

Update on 2020-21 Staff Mentoring Programme (July 2020)                                              


We’ve had to make some changes to the forthcoming Staff Mentoring Programme. This briefing note outlines our initial plans and thinking, but of course we will keep our plans under review and will contact both mentors and mentees should we need to make any further amendments.

As you know our Staff Mentoring Programme supports participants to maximise their potential, increase their contribution and confidence at work and manage change in challenging times. The 2020-21 programme will include some changes to the delivery and content. These are in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the global Black Lives Matter movement protests.

Overall Learning Outcomes

These remain the same in line with continuing professional development requirements, and mentees should expect to:

• Increase their self-awareness
• Improve their confidence
• Expand their networks
• Enhance their understanding of unconscious bias, diversity and inclusion
• Explore their career aspirations and options
• Increase their awareness of wider sector issues

In addition, we will be changing the content of the workshops to place more emphasis on Assertiveness & Influencing Skills, Well-Being Management and Racism and Diversity Awareness.

Workshop and Curriculum Delivery Adjustments

* We will initially be delivering workshops virtually (we use Zoom) and will continue to make the sessions participative and interactive;

* We may during the course of the programme move to face to face workshops depending on the course of the pandemic and official advice;

* There will be more pre- and post-workshop mentee activity i.e. use of a blended approach to support online group sessions.  We have tested this approach in latter stage of 2019-20 programme and it has worked well

* There will be more curated information/reading lists on key models and concepts referred to in workshops

* We will encourage mentee to develop their presentation skills during workshops

* We will facilitate the use of offline networking and online social and digital media tools e.g. Linkedin

* Mentors and mentees will have free access to HDN’s webinars which cover all aspects of diversity and inclusion

* We will be offering a new Introduction to Assertiveness Central either before or after Workshop 1 or as a standalone/optional module

Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH)

We are currently on talks with the CIH (the professional body for those who work in the housing sector) about offering discounted membership to mentees on the programme. This will have multiple benefits and we will be sharing further news soon.